Vanessa Chin’s Post

Mammogram of both breast

On the way to my f/u scan and oncology consultation appointment I stopped to take a selfie with some flowers in front of the hospital. Years ago I never took selfies. Growing up in the 60s & 70s it was difficult to use a real camera to take one’s own picture. Plus, developing film was expensive. I recall getting 24 printed photographs back after a 14 day wait, only to find that just one or two pictures were worth keeping. Nowadays, with my iPhone, the possibilities are endless and instantaneous—that’s why I have 23,492 pictures saved in my photo library. Maybe when I retire I’ll have time to start purging! But that’s not where I was going with this post. I see flowers everywhere and they give me joy. It’s almost a relief when I notice them, as if they are special and blooming just for me. Yesterday was a stressful day as it was my first scan after recent cancer treatment and I had a new oncology consultation afterwards in an adjacent building. I had an hour between visits, so I was able to stop by and chat with an orthopedic spine surgeon colleague I hadn’t seen for a while. So great to catch up. I also had time to step outside and that’s when I saw the flowers. People were walking quickly by on the sidewalk, next to busy street traffic, and it was just about to start raining. These flowers gave me a sense of calm in just one minute. I felt more peaceful. I can honestly say I had no anxiety that typically accompanies scans and consultations. If you are curious about what NOT to say to someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer, you will enjoy reading the June edition of “The 2 Susans,” a monthly LinkedIn newsletter I write with Susan Vogler, DO, FACOG, MSCP. https://lnkd.in/gH4w5Xc2 And, if you are wanting a deeper dive on what to consider when first diagnosed, you will enjoy my 10 minute YouTube video “I Have Cancer, Now What?” https://lnkd.in/g7Rq_FZb You can also go outside and find some flowers! 🌷 #selfcare #resilience #cancer #cancersupport #the2susans #newsletter

Ever wonder why there are so few Breast Implant Registries? And relatively little evidence of breast implant illness, deaths and injuries? 🚩 CONCEALMENT of EVIDENCE or “Spoliation of evidence is the intentional, reckless, or negligent withholding, hiding, altering, fabricating, or destroying of evidence relevant to a legal proceeding.” 🚩 FAILURE to MONITOR / TRACK Long Term Outcomes Professor Jan Willem Cohen Tervaert is pressing for a 🔺Breast Implant Registry in CANADA “ A registry in which not only surgical data but also patient-reported outcome measurements are recorded will result in a better understanding of patient outcomes and device performance. The registry should not be a voluntary ("opt-in") registry but a mandatory ("opt-out") registry, in which only the patient (and not the surgeon) has the choice whether to participate.” Prof Jan Willem Cohen Tervaert Read 🔺https://lnkd.in/ej3rc_tm ⚠️ Henrietta Hughes Barney Calman Department of Health and Social Care NICE - National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Department of Health and Social Care THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RIGHTS Lucy Fisher Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency National Academy of Medicine Health Canada | Santé Canada #medicaldevices #BIGtizziSCAM #breastimplants #breastcancer #PIPcrimes

✏️📒Grab your notebooks and pencils! July is UV Safety Awareness Month and we're here to teach you all how you can spot the warning signs of skin cancer with the ABCDEs: ✨ Asymmetry – Moles should be symmetrical. If they're not, get them checked! ✨ Border – Smooth edges are a must. Uneven, scalloped, or notched borders can be a red flag. ✨ Color – A single color is okay. Multiple colors? Time to see a doctor! ✨ Diameter – Moles larger than a pencil eraser need attention. ✨ Evolution – Any changes in size, shape, color, or elevation? Don’t wait—get it checked! If you notice any suspicious moles or changes, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider right away. Early detection saves lives! Stay safe and take care of your skin. #skincancerawareness #sunsafety #UVSafetyMonth #oncology

Hey, If you haven't seen me in a while I'm Mandy Siegel, I took some time away from my life coaching, speaking and training business to heal myself from breast cancer in 2020 after surgery at the beginning of covid. What a long and challenging journey it's been! Not without it's absolute gifts too. I'm healthy and back and having gone through such a traumatic, deeply life-altering experience I am now coaching and supporting women in finding their voice through the cancer journey. Whether you are going through it now or having been through it or whether you have loved ones going through it. It can be such a difficult time - finding your voice to advocate for yourself in the medical system, how to tell your loved ones, clients and work you have cancer, creating boundaries so you can navigate your own way through it. Putting yourself at the top of the list of care is imperative and very difficult for many women. It's so much easier to look after everyone else right? I've realised through creating my own team of support that we never have to do it alone. I am truly grateful. I am offering 30 minute complimentary discovery sessions to help you in Finding Your Voice at the next level. Reach out, DM if you'd like to book a call to find out more 🙏 #wellbeing #empowoweringwomen, #leadership, #selfcare, #compassion, #reallife, #yourtruevoice, #authenticleadership, #Presence, #love

Hair loss during cancer treatment is commonly caused by chemotherapy. This is due to hair follicles being damaged from the chemo targeting rapidly growing cells. When used to treat cancer in areas of the head and neck, radiation therapy can also cause hair loss. Receiving a cancer diagnosis is tough enough at any age, losing your hair while battling it can feel like an added insult to injury. At Suisse, we understand the emotional journey of combating cancer and how the side effects of cancer treatments can initiate low self-esteem due to a declining confidence in one's appearance. We feel strongly that wigs are recommended too frivolously for women who experience hair loss during and after cancer treatments. In most cases of #chemo and #radiation related #hairloss, there's still an ample amount of hair to work with, which means natural hair integration is an option to consider. Instead of covering the entire head with a bulky wig, natural hair integration strategically blends additional hair into the areas of the scalp where it's needed. The result of this process not only looks more natural, it also feels more natural. Maintaining a positive self-image when you're up against a life threatening situation such as cancer can give you an advantage that can make a significant difference in your mental wellbeing. If you or someone you know could use a confidence boost before, during, or after their cancer battle, Suisse offers free private consultations to those in need. https://lnkd.in/dCYX9xPW

Day 10 of Head & Neck Cancer Awareness Month Three weeks after surgeries were completed, in the beginning of October 2019, I started 6 weeks (30 treatment days) of radiation therapy. Prior to beginning treatment, we made the lovely mask seen on me in the photo below. It was so tight to my face that I couldn't open my eyes without my eyelashes hitting it. The only hole was for the bite block I had to keep in place to hold my tongue down. Every day, Monday through Friday, for 30 days, I drove an hour to my treatment center, changed into a gown, and laid in the exact same position on the table. Every day the giant foam popsicle went into my mouth (which could barely open wide enough), the mask went on and locked me tightly to the table, the staff left and worked behind the safety of giant cement walls, and laser beams rotated around my skull and neck for a few minutes while I tried not to move or choke on my own spit. That was the easy part. See, the interesting thing about radiation is the treatment itself is painless. In fact, I felt nothing physical at all each time I laid on that table. The side effects are insidious and cumulative. By the end of treatment, I legitimately felt like we had sucked away years of my life. . .so naturally I did what any millennial would do and made a meme about it referencing one of the greatest films of all time (this is not up for debate). I'm not sure I would have survived this treatment without my ridiculous sense of humor. #headandneckcancer #cancersurvivor #survivorship #humor #radiationtherapy

October 12th, 2024 - Day Twelve - Week Two 🎗️ Breast Cancer Awareness Month ✨ Did you know? 1 in 8 Canadian women, a staggering 2.5 million, will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. ✨ approximately 1.5 to 1.75 million will have a #lumpectomy and an estimated 300,000 to 525,000 may opt for a prosthesis to achieve breast symmetry. ✨ approximately 750,000 to 1 million women will have a #mastectomy and an estimated 360,000 to 675,000 are likely to opt for a breast prosthesis. ✨ many cannot use silicone breast prostheses due to post-surgical healing where they are unable to tolerate the weight of a silicone prosthesis, or health conditions like lymphedema, and skin irritation due to radiation therapy, making it uncomfortable. 🌸 Au Naturel Solutions Inc. offers a soft, breathable, hypoallergenic alternative, with no harsh chemicals or allergens, for women with sensitive skin. The eco-friendly materials, including a natural fibre filling, provide a lightweight and comfortable alternative, for women who find traditional prostheses too heavy. It’s fully customizable in size and shape, providing a better fit and more natural appearance, for women needing symmetry 🌸 Help us provide crucial support and give the present of a prosthesis to those who need it most. Donate to Rethink Breast Cancer 🩷 👉 https://lnkd.in/gBdWtHuT #BreastCancerFacts #MadeInCanada #SupportingWomen #PresentOfAProsthesis Community Foundation of Prince Edward Island

Sunglasses are damaging your eyes? 🤔 If you wear the wrong ones. Sure, they may look trendy but are they really protecting you? Here's what's happening behind the scenes 👇 When you put on a pair of sunglasses, your pupils open up and allow much more light into your eyes than if you didn't wear sunglasses at all. If your glasses aren't UV protected, then your eyes are absorbing way more light than they should. This can increase your risk of cataracts and other eye damage (including ocular melanoma, a rare cancer). So, what can you do? Check to make sure your current brand (and future brands) of sunglasses includes UV protection. You can find this on their website, the price tag, or even a sticker on the lens. Your eyes will surely thank you 😎 #Sunglasses #SunProtection #EyeSunscreen

How to spot a melanoma: look for the ABCDEs: 👉Asymmetry – one half of a mole (or birthmark) does not match the other 👉Border – edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred 👉Color – the color is uneven and may include different shades of brown or black, or sometimes with patches of pink, red, white, or blue 👉Diameter – the spot is larger than 6 millimeters across (about the size of a pencil eraser) 👉Evolving – the mole is changing in size, shape, color, or elevation If you see anything suspicious, get it checked out right away. #Melanoma #ABCDEsofMelanoma #SkinCancerAwareness